Portable terminal

ABSTRACT

A management apparatus including a portable terminal identifying module to receive card information from a non-contact IC card processing unit having a module to communicate with an IC card without contact.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/811,965, filedMar. 30, 2004. This application relates to and claims priority fromJapanese Patent Application No. 2003-154922, filed on May 20, 2003. Theentirety of the contents and subject matter of all of the above isincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a portable terminal with an IC cardmounted thereon, a management unit for managing the portable terminaland an IC card management method, or in particular to a portableterminal suitably used for a passenger ticket system or the like and amanagement unit and an IC card management method therefor.

A system in which an IC card can be used as a passenger ticket for meansof transportation has been proposed. A portable terminal with an IC cardused as a tag is an example. This portable terminal comprises a mainantenna for external radio communication and an IC card antenna wherebythe IC card conducts external radio communication. The user of thisportable terminal who wants to use a transportation means operated onthis system issues a request to the site of, for example, a railwaycompany by communication from the main antenna. Then, the electronicinformation on a passenger ticket, a coupon ticket or a commuter pass istransmitted to and received by the portable terminal through the mainantenna and stored in the IC card. The user taking a train presents theportable terminal carrying the IC card to the ticket gate. Theelectronic information stored in the IC card is read out and transmittedfrom the IC card antenna to the ticket gate. The ticket gate, uponreceipt of the electronic information, permits the particular user topass through the gate. An example of such a ticket system is shown inJP-A-2002-247157.

As another example, a system has been proposed in which the valueinformation is stored in an IC card whereby the fare can be paid. Such aticket system is shown in JP-A-2002-329176.

In this system, the user applies the IC card having stored therein thevalue information (amount information) through an automatic ticket gatemachine (“ticket checking machine”) which retrieves the ID informationof the IC card at the station where he/she takes a train (“boardingstation”). When the IC card is applied through the ticket checkingmachine at the station he/she gets off (“exit station”), on the otherhand, the ticket checking machine retrieves the value information aswell as the ID information. From the boarding station and the exitstation recognized by the IC card from the ID information retrieved bythe ticket checking machines at the boarding station and the exitstation, the IC card management system calculates the railway fare andwithdraws the value corresponding to the railway fare from the IC card.

This IC card is registered in the IC card management system, and the SF(stored-fare) value can be increased or the validity period of thecommuter pass can be automatically renewed in the IC card. The SF valuein the IC card is increased according to a rule. In the case where theoutstanding value decreases to 300 yen or less, for example, the SFvalue is automatically increased by 1000 yen. According to this rule,the IC card management system increases the SF value of a given IC cardas requested to avoid insufficient outstanding SF value of the IC card.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In the technique described in JP-A-2002-247157, the operation ofpurchasing a railway ticket or the like is required on the portableterminal each time the user takes a transportation means. This takes alot of trouble with inputting information on the one hand, and in thecase where the destination station or traveling route designated on therailway ticket purchased is changed, the use is required to do theprocedure for the particular change of ticket and fare adjustment at theexit station on the other hand.

According to the technique disclosed in JP-A-2001-329176, in contrast,the user can pass through the ticket gate simply by applying the IC cardthrough the ticket checking machine, and the railway fare is calculatedbased on the boarding station and the exit station. This railway farecan be paid based on the value information stored in the IC card.Therefore, no operation is required on the part of the user therebyobviating the technical problem of JP-A-2002-247157.

In order to keep the outstanding SF value of the IC card not short of apredetermined amount, however, the IC card has to request the IC cardmanagement system to increase the SF value. Also, the IC card managementsystem is required not only to identify and memorize the particular ICcard which has requested a SF value increase but also to notify eachticket checking machine of the identification of the particular IC cardthat has given the request.

The service of renewing the validity period of the commuter passprovided by the technique disclosed in JP-A-2002-329176 is also managedby the IC card management system, and the information on the IC cardreceiving this service is required to be notified to each ticketchecking machine. This is also the case with the IC card which can beused as a commuter pass.

The above-mentioned management and renewal methods pose the problem thatboth the management cost and the processing time increase with theincrease in the number of users.

The technique disclosed in JP-A-2002-329176 can renew the validityperiod of the commuter pass automatically at the request of the IC card.This poses the problem, however, that the validity period of thecommuter pass may be renewed automatically upon expiry of the validityperiod without the knowledge of the user who may want to know the expiryof the available period.

An object of this invention is to overcome the problems described above,and to provide a easy-to-use portable terminal incorporating an IC cardtherein, a management unit and an IC card management method in which theSF value of the IC card can be charged or increased by imposing noextraneous burden or reducing the burden on the management system, andthe user can be notified of the timing of renewing the validity periodof the commuter pass.

Another object of the invention is to provide a portable terminal, amanagement unit and an IC card management method, in which the increasein the SF value of the IC card or the renewal of the validity period ofthe commuter pass can be notified while at the same time improving thesecurity of the communication information.

In order to achieve the objects described above, according to thisinvention, the contents of a non-contact IC card incorporated in amobile telephone are checked at a predetermined timing by the mobiletelephone, and any case of non-contact access is detected to charge theSF value of the IC card or renew the validity period of the commuterpass as required.

Also, according to this invention, the ticket checking machine and themanagement unit collaborate with each other in such a manner that in thecase where a portable telephone incorporating a non-contact IC card ispassed through a ticket gate, the management unit transmits theinformation on the value charge and the renewal of the commuter passvalidity period to the portable telephone based on the customer data andthe conditions for information transmission registered in the managementunit derived from the data passed through the ticket gate. In this way,the user can increase the SF value or renew the validity period of thecommuter pass at an appropriate timing.

Further, according to this invention, the mobile telephone includes thefunction to identify the user by the fingerprints at the time ofcharging the SF value or renewing the validity period of the commuterpass, thereby making it possible to charge or increase the SF value orrenew the validity period of the commuter pass with an improvedsecurity.

As described above, according to this invention, there is provided aportable terminal comprising a non-contact IC card or an IC card havingthe dual function of contact and non-contact I/Fs, wherein theoutstanding SF value and the validity period of the commuter pass in thecard are checked by the portable terminal at a predetermined timing. Inthis way, the SF value can be charged or the validity period of thecommuter pass can be renewed, as the case may be, whenever required.

Also, the management unit that has acquired the card information fromthe IC card passing through a ticket gate notifies the portable terminalthrough a network that the outstanding amount is about to run short orthe validity period of the commuter pass soon expires or sends to theportable terminal the information for starting a program to charge theSF value. In this way, the user can be informed of the timing ofcharging the SF value or renewing the commuter pass validity periodwithout increasing the processing cost or the processing time of themanagement unit and without the need of checking the outstanding amountof the SF value or the validity period of commuter pass on the part ofthe portable terminal.

Further, since the portable terminal is equipped with various inputdevices, various identifications or authentications make it possible toprovide the service whereby the SF value can be charged and the validityperiod of the commuter pass can be renewed with a higher security.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features, objects and advantages of the presentinvention will become more apparent from the following description whentaken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a method of managing an IC card according toan embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of aportable terminal according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the processcorresponding to the operation of accessing a non-contact IC card of theportable terminal shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of aspecific example of the ticket checking machine shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of themanagement unit according to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 operated byan IC card management method according to another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of the customer datastored in a customer data storage section shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the process oftransmitting predetermined information to the portable terminal from themanagement unit shown in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the process ofoperation in which the portable terminal shown in FIG. 1 receives theinformation transmitted by the management unit through the process shownin FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of theportable terminal shown in FIG. 1 according to another embodiment of theinvention;

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of the screen forsetting the conditions for the corresponding operation at a portableterminal according to the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing another specific example of a screen forsetting the conditions for the corresponding operation of a portableterminal according to this invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Embodiments of the present invention are described below with referenceto the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an IC card management method according to anembodiment of the invention. Reference numeral 100 designates a portableterminal, numeral 101 a ticket checking machine 101, numeral 102 amanagement unit, numeral 103 a network, numeral 104 an IC card, andnumerals 105, 106 antennas.

In FIG. 1, this system is configured of the portable terminal 100, theticket checking machine 101, the management unit 102 and the network103.

The portable terminal 100 has the IC card 104 built therein, and alsoincludes an antenna 107 for communication with the management unit 102through the network 103 and an antenna 105 for communication with anon-contact IC card reader/writer, not shown, of the ticket checkingmachine 101. The ticket checking machine 101 has the non-contact IC cardreader/writer built therein, and can communicate with the non-contact ICcard 104 built in the portable terminal 100 through the antenna 106. Themanagement unit 102 manages the information of the IC card 104 andexchanges the required information with the ticket checking machine 101.Also, the management unit 102 can manage the charge of the SF value orthe renewal of the validity period of the commuting ticket in the ICcard 104. The information related to the commuter pass users and theusers of the various data services supplied from the management unit 102are registered in the customer data base, not shown, of the managementunit 102 as information related to each IC card ID.

The portable terminal 100 can communicate with the management unit 102through the network 103. Also, the ticket checking machine 101 and themanagement unit 102 are connected to and communicable with each otherthrough a dedicated communication line and communicable with each other.The ticket checking machine 101 can of course be equipped with a part orthe whole of the functions of the management unit 102, or the functionsmay be distributed among a plurality of management units 102.

As a first example of this system, an explanation is given about a casein which the SF value and the information on the commuter pass(hereinafter referred to as the card information) are stored in the ICcard 104, and the portable terminal 100 checks the card information tocharge the SF value or renew the validity period of the commuter pass.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of theportable terminal 100 shown in FIG. 1 according to an embodiment of theinvention. Numeral 201 designates a control section, numeral 202 a voiceinput/output section, numeral 203 a storage section, numeral 204 acommunication section, numeral 206 an input operation section, numeral207 a display section, and numeral 208 an IC card I/F (interface)section. In FIG. 2, the component parts corresponding to those shown inFIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals, respectively.

In FIG. 2, this embodiment comprises the control section 201 for holdingthe required program and data and controlling the portable terminal 100as a whole by various determinations and calculations, the input/outputsection 202 for inputting/outputting the speaking voice, the storagesection 203 for holding the various information set by the user of theportable terminal 100 and the data and the programs downloaded, thecommunication section 204 for conducting voice communication and datacommunication through the antenna 107, the operation section 206 forinputting the information through the operating buttons such asten-keys, the display section 207 for displaying the telephone numberinformation and the contents screen from an internet, and the IC cardI/F section 208 for communication with the IC card 104 or thenon-contact reader/writer of the ticket checking machine 101 through theantenna 105.

The IC card 104 may be either of non-contact type or may have a dualfunction of contact and non-contact I/Fs. Further, the IC card 104 maybe removable from the portable terminal 100.

The SF value of the ticket is held in the IC card 104 built in theportable terminal 100. The ticket is checked at the boarding station andthe exit station, and the user can pass through the ticket gates of boththe boarding station and the exit station by approximating the portableterminal 100 to the ticket checking machine 101. At the same time, thevalue including the railway fare for the section from the boardingstation to the exit station is subtracted by presenting the portableterminal 100 to the ticket checking machine at the exit station. In thecase where the commuter pass is held in the IC card 104, the validityperiod thereof is checked by the ticket checking machine 101 thereby toallow or disallow the user to pass through the ticket gate.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the operationperformed to process the outstanding SF value of the portable terminal100 shown in FIG. 2. This flowchart represents the processing steps forthe automatic check function of the control section 201 of the portableterminal 100 which checks by itself to see whether the outstanding valuein the IC card 104 is smaller than a predetermined amount or not, and ifso, automatically charges the SF value.

In FIG. 3, the first step is for the user to switch on the portableterminal 100, and the control section 201 starts the process based onthe user setting or the like stored in the storage section 203 (S300).At a predetermined timing set by the user (at predetermined timeintervals or at a specific time point, for example), the IC card 104 isaccessed thereby to acquire the card information, i.e. the outstandingSF value (S301), and also the conditions for the corresponding operationset by the user and the corresponding operation ID (ID information)(S302).

This corresponding operation, which is performed in correspondence withthe card information acquired from the IC card 104, is the chargeoperation for the outstanding SF value. The conditions for thecorresponding operation, on the other hand, are defined as theconditions for performing the corresponding operation. In the case wherethe outstanding SF value is reduced to 1,000 yen or less, for example,3,000 yen is charged under the conditions set by the user through theportable terminal 100. The conditions for the corresponding operationare stored in the IC card 104, and adapted to be set and changed by theuser.

Once the outstanding SF value and the conditions for the correspondingoperation are acquired, the control section 201 compares them anddetermines whether the corresponding operation is to be executed or not(S303). In the case where the outstanding SF value meets the conditionsfor the corresponding operation (the outstanding SF value exceeds 1,000yen in the above-mentioned case), it is determined that thecorresponding operation is not required, and the process returns to stepS301. In the case where the outstanding SF value fails to meet theconditions for the corresponding operation (the outstanding SF value isnot more than 1,000 yen in the above-mentioned case), on the other hand,the corresponding operation is performed and the SF value is charged(increased by 3,000 yen in the above-mentioned case) (S304) and theprocess returns to step S301.

This operation is carried out at a predetermined timing such as uponlapse of each time length or on a predetermined occasion (whencommunicating with the ticket checking machine 101, for example). Thetiming of this operation can be appropriately set by the user.

The corresponding operation (S304) is carried out in the followingmanner, for example.

The control section 201, upon determination that the conditions for thecorresponding operation are met (S303), starts the change program builtin the IC card 104, and communicates with a financial institution suchas a bank, not shown, through the communication section 204 and theantenna 107, requesting to withdraw the amount (300 yen in this case)required to charge the SF value, from the account of the portableterminal user. The financial institution, in response to the request,withdraws the required amount from the same account and transmits theamount information to the portable terminal 100. The portable terminal100 receives the amount information from the antenna 107 through thecommunication section 204, and transfers the amount to the IC card 104from the IC card I/F section 208. As a result, the transferred amount ischarged as a SF value in the IC card. As an alternative, the portableterminal 100 notifies the result of the aforementioned determination bycommunication to the management unit 102 from the communication section204 and the antenna 107 through the network 103. The management unit102, upon receipt of this notice, transfers the value to be charged (300yen in this case) for executing the corresponding operation to theportable terminal 100 through the network 103. The portable terminal 100receives this value from the antenna 107 through the communicationsection 204, and charges it in the IC card 104 from the IC card I/Fsection 208.

Depending on the setting by the user, the display section 207 candisplay the information as to the insufficient outstanding amount on thescreen. Also, the validity period of the commuter pass can be checkedand an instruction can be given to renew it.

Next, the IC card management method shown in FIG. 1 according to anotherembodiment is explained with reference to a case in which the portableterminal 100, in collaboration with the ticket checking machine 101 andthe management unit 102, charges the outstanding SF value or renews thevalidity period of the commuter pass.

FIG. 4 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of aspecific example of the ticket checking machine 101 shown in FIG. 1.Numeral 401 designates a control section, numeral 402 a gate passageinformation storage section, numeral 403 a non-contact IC cardcommunication section, and numeral 404 a communication section. In FIG.4, the component parts corresponding to similar component parts in FIG.1 are designated by the same reference numerals, respectively, and notexplained again.

In FIG. 4, the ticket checking machine 101 comprises the control 401 forholding the required program and data and controlling the ticketchecking machine 101 as a whole by various determinations andcalculations, the gate passage information storage section 402 foracquiring and holding the ID (identification information) and the cardinformation of the IC card 104 processed by the ticket checking machine101, the non-contact IC card communication section 403 having theantenna 106 for communication with the non-contact IC card 104 mountedin the portable terminal 100, and the communication section 404 forexchanging various data with the management unit 102.

When the user approximates the portable terminal 100 having the IC card104 mounted therein to the ticket checking machine 101, the controlsection 201 of the portable terminal 100 (FIG. 2) reads the cardinformation from the IC card 104, and transmits the card informationfrom the IC card I/F section 208 to the ticket checking machine 101through the non-contact antenna 105. The ticket checking machine 101shown in FIG. 4 receives the card information from the non-contactantenna 106 through the non-contact IC card communication section 403under the control of the control section 401, and stores it in the gatepassage information storage section 402. After that, the control section401 reads the card information from the gate passage information storagesection 402 and transmits the information from the communication section404 to the management unit 102.

FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of themanagement unit 102 shown in FIG. 1 operated by the IC card managementmethod according to another embodiment of the invention. Numeral 501designates a control section, numeral 502 a gate passage informationstorage section, numeral 503 a customer data storage section, andnumeral 504 a communication section. In FIG. 5, the component partssimilar or identical to those in FIG. 1 are designated by the samereference numerals, respectively, and not described again.

In FIG. 5, the management unit 102 is configured of the control unit 501for holding the required program and data to perform the controloperation of the management unit 102 as a whole including the valuecharge and the commuter pass validity period renewal by variousdeterminations and calculations, the gate passage information storagesection 502 for acquiring and holding the ID information and the cardinformation of the non-contact IC card 104 processed in the ticketchecking machine 101, the customer data storage section 503 for holdingthe information including the card ID of the user, the address of theportable terminal 100 and the conditions for various informationservices, and the communication section 504 for exchanging various datawith the portable terminal 100 and the ticket checking machine 101.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a specific example of the customer data heldin the customer data storage section 503 of the management unit 102.

In FIG. 6, the customer data include a customer ID 600 for identifyingthe customer (the user of the non-contact IC card 104), a held IC cardID 601 for identifying the non-contact IC card 104 held by the customer,a contact address 602 of the portable terminal 100 required fornotifying the information and starting a specific program, a customername 603, information transmitting conditions 604 defining theconditions of the non-contact IC card 104 as acquired by the ticketchecking machine 101 under which the information is transmitted to theuser (customer), and transmitted information contents 605 fordetermining the information to be transmitted in the case where theinformation transmitting conditions 604 are satisfied.

The information transmitting conditions 604 and the transmittedinformation contents 605 are set by the customer. With regard to thecustomer A, for example, “the outstanding amount of less than 100 yen”in SF value is set as the information transmitting conditions, and the“notify information” is set as the transmitted information contents.Specifically, in the case where the outstanding SF value in thenon-contact IC card is reduced to less than 100 yen, the fact isnotified to the non-contact IC card 104, which in turn notifies the userthrough the display section 207 or the voice input/output section 202.

With regard to the customer B, the information transmitting conditionsare set as “the outstanding value of less than 100 yen” in SF value, andthe transmitted information contents are set as “start the renewalprogram”. Specifically, in the case where the outstanding SF value inthe non-contact IC card 104 is reduced to less than 100 yen, theinformation is transmitted to the IC card 104 to start the renewalprogram built therein for charging the SF value. The non-contact IC card104, upon receipt of this information, starts the renewal program andcharges the SF value. With regard to the commuter pass, on the otherhand, the information transmitting conditions are set as “two weeksbefore expiration of validity” and the transmitted information contentsare set as “notify information”. In this case, the portable terminal 100is notified two weeks before expiry of the validity period of thecommuter pass, and the portable terminal 100 notifies the fact to theuser on the screen or by voice. Further, in the case of the commuterpass, the transmitted information contents may be set as “notifyinformation” and “start renewal program” at the same time. In this case,the notice is given while at the same time transmitting an instructionto start the renewal program to the portable terminal 100, with theresult that the program is started to renew the validity period of thecommuter pass in the non-contact IC card 104. The validity period of thecommuter pass is renewed in such a manner that the non-contact IC card104, when passed through the ticket checking machine 101 after receivingthe renewal program start instruction, for example, starts the renewalprogram by communication with the management unit 102 through the ticketchecking machine 101 as to the information on the commuter pass and thecommuter pass charge. As an alternative, after receiving the renewalprogram start instruction, a predetermined operation is performed at theportable terminal 100 to renew the validity period of the commuter pass,so that the validity period of the commuter pass is renewed in similarfashion by communication between the portable terminal 100 and themanagement unit 102 through the network 103.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the steps taken bythe management unit 102 shown in FIG. 5 for processing the outstandingSF value and the validity period of the commuter pass by the IC cardmanagement method according to another embodiment of the invention. Thisspecific example shows the processing step of determining, based on thecustomer data set in the customer data storage section 503, whether theinformation on the outstanding value and the validity period of thecommuter pass are to be transmitted or not to the portable terminalhaving mounted therein the IC card 104 of the user, and the otherprocessing steps to be taken, in the case where the management unit 102acquires the gate passage data of the IC card 104 held in the gatepassage information storage section 402 of the ticket checking machine101 through the communication section 504.

In FIG. 7, the management unit 102 (FIG. 5) shown in FIG. 5 firstreceives the gate passage data of the IC card 104 from the ticketchecking machine 101 through the communication section 504 under thecontrol of the control section 501. This gate passage data is stored inthe gate passage information storage section 502 (S700). Each gatepassage data is retrieved from the gate passage information storagesection 502 (S701). Based on the card ID contained in the gate passagedata, the corresponding customer data is read from the customer datastorage section 503 (S702). In step S703, the outstanding amountinformation and the validity period information of the commuter passcontained in the gate passage data are compared with the informationtransmitting conditions contained in the customer data of FIG. 6 storedin the customer data storage section 503, thereby determining whetherthe information is required to be sent to the portable terminal 100 ofthe user (S703). In the case where it is determined that thetransmission is not required, the process proceeds to step S701, whilein the case where it is determined that the transmission is required, onthe other hand, the transmitted information contents are produced (S704)and sent to the portable terminal 100 through the network 103 (S705),and the process returns to step S701 to process the next gate passagedata.

In the case where the only requirement is to notify that the validityperiod of the commuter pass is about to expire, a text document isprepared and sent by electronic mail to the portable terminal 100 instep S704. In the case where a predetermined amount is chargedautomatically, on the other hand, the parameters for starting the chargeprogram held in the portable terminal 100 are also generated and sentdirectly to the portable terminal 100. The parameters may be prepared onthe server and only the connected information may be sent to theportable terminal 100. In step 705, the data prepared are sent to theportable terminal 100.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing a specific example of the steps of theoperation taken by the portable terminal 100 receiving the transmittedinformation contents from the management unit 102.

In FIG. 8, the information is first transmitted from the management unit102 as described above (S800). Then, the portable terminal 100 shown inFIG. 2 receives them through the antenna 107 and the communicationsection 204 under the control of the control section 201 and holds themin the storage section 203, etc. (S801). The portable terminal 100 theninterprets the contents of the received information and determineswhether the screen is displayed to indicate that the validity period ofthe commuter pass is about to expire or the value charge program isstarted (S802). Based on the result of this determination, thecorresponding operation is performed (S803) thereby to terminate theprocess.

Next, an explanation is given about a case in which the portableterminal 100 comprising additional identification functions such as afingerprints input section and a camera executes the process of chargingthe SF value or renewing the validity period of the commuter pass with afurther improved security.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram showing an internal configuration of theportable terminal 100 of FIG. 1 according to another embodiment of theinvention. Numeral 900 designates a fingerprints input section, numeral901 a camera section, and numeral 902 a communication detection section.In FIG. 9, the component parts similar or identical to those in FIG. 2are designated by the same reference numerals, respectively, as in FIG.2 and not described again.

According to this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the portable terminal100, with the added identification functions such as the fingerprintsinput section 900 and the camera section 901, can charge the SF value orrenew the validity period of the commuter pass with a higher security.The fingerprints input section 900 is for inputting the fingerprints foridentification, and the camera section 901 for inputting the irispattern or the facial characteristics for identification. Theidentification by voice recognition using the voice input/output section202 is also possible, and so is the identification by the ID or passwordusing the operation section 206 such as the ten-keys.

According to this embodiment, a communication detection section 902 isalso added as another function to detect the non-contact IC cardcommunication. Thus, the portable terminal 100 is not required to checkthe contents of the IC card 104 at regular time intervals but can checkthem at an appropriate timing.

The identification function can be turned on/off by the user through theoperation section 206. Alternatively, the identification function may beset to work when the SF value has been charged five times or when 10000yen or more is charged. Also, the identification function may be set towork always at the time of renewing the validity period of the commuterpass.

FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a specific example of the correspondingoperation setting screen 1000 of the portable terminal 100.

In FIG. 10, the corresponding operation setting screen 1000 includes avalue charge setting area 1001 and a commuter pass setting area 1002.The setting area 1001 includes an outstanding SF value check timingsetting field 1001 a and a corresponding operation setting field 1001 bfor setting a corresponding operation. In the case under consideration,the value check timing in the timing setting field 1001 a is set at “10o'clock every day”, and the corresponding operation in the correspondingoperation setting field 1001 b is set to “charge 3,000 yen for less than1,000 yen”. As the result of these setting, the value in the IC card 104is checked at 10 o'clock every day, and 3,000 yen is charged each timethe outstanding value is reduced to less than 1,000 yen. These setting,however, can be appropriately changed by operating the operation section206.

In similar fashion, the commuter pass setting area 1002 includes acommuter pass validity period check timing setting field 1002 a and acorresponding operation setting field 1002 b for setting a correspondingoperation. In the case under consideration, the timing of checking thecommuter pass in the timing setting field 1002 a is set at “everyMonday”, and the corresponding operation in the corresponding operationsetting field 1002 b is set to “indicate two weeks before validityperiod expiry”. As the result of these setting, the validity period ofthe commuter pass in the IC card 104 is checked every Monday, and twoweeks before expiry of the validity period, the fact is notified to theuser on the display section 207 or by the voice input/output section 202of the portable terminal 100. These setting, however, can also beappropriately changed by operating the operation section 206.

FIG. 11 is a diagram showing a specific example of the correspondingoperation conditions setting screen 1100 for setting the conditions forthe corresponding operation based on the customer data stored in thecustomer data storage section 503 of the management unit 102 shown inFIG. 5. The corresponding operation conditions setting screen 1100 isdisplayed on the display section 207 of the portable terminal 100 shownin FIGS. 2 and 9. The conditions for the corresponding operation set onthis screen are transmitted to the management unit 102 through thenetwork 103 from the communication section 204 and the antenna 205,incorporated in the customer data shown in FIG. 6 and stored in thecustomer data storage section 503.

This corresponding operation conditions setting screen 1100 includes avalue charge setting area 1101 and a commuter pass setting area 1002.The setting area 1101 includes a corresponding operation conditionssetting area 1101 for setting the conditions for the correspondingoperation against the outstanding SF value and a corresponding operationconditions setting area 1102 for setting the conditions for thecorresponding operation against the commuter pass. In the correspondingoperation conditions setting area 1101 for the outstanding SF value, theconditions for the corresponding operation are set to “charge for lessthan 1,000 yen”, and the contents transmitted for executing thecorresponding operation are set to “transmit program starting data”. Asdescribed above, when the portable terminal 104 carrying the IC cardhaving stored therein these conditions for the corresponding operationis passed through the ticket checking machine 101, the management unit102 accesses the conditions for the corresponding operation in thecustomer data stored in the customer data storage section 503 based onthe outstanding SF value information and the card ID read by the ticketchecking machine. In the case where the outstanding value is less than1,000 yen, the data for starting the value charge program is sent to theportable terminal 100. These conditions for the corresponding operationcan be set and changed by the portable terminal 100 on the correspondingoperation conditions setting screen 1100.

This is also the case with the conditions for the correspondingoperation about the commuter pass. In the case under consideration, thecommuter pass corresponding operation conditions setting area 1102 isset to “transmit by E-mail two weeks before validity period expiry” asthe conditions for the corresponding operation. As described above, whenthe portable terminal 100 having the IC card with these correspondingoperation conditions stored therein is passed through the ticketchecking machine 101, the management unit 102 accesses the correspondingoperation conditions based on the customer data stored in the customerdata storage section 503 with reference to the card ID or the commuterpass information such as the validity period read by the ticket checkingmachine, and in the case where the validity period of the commuter passis about to expire in two weeks or less, a text document containing theinformation indicating the fact is prepared and sent to the portableterminal 100. These conditions for the corresponding operation can beset or changed appropriately by the portable terminal 100 on thecorresponding operation conditions setting screen 1101.

While we have shown and described several embodiments in accordance withour invention, it should be understood that disclosed embodiments aresusceptible of changes and modifications without departing from thescope of the invention. Therefore, we do not intend to be bound by thedetails shown and described herein but intend to cover all such changesand modifications as falling within the ambit of the appended claims.

1. (canceled)
 2. A portable terminal having an IC card and receivinginformation from a management apparatus, wherein said managementapparatus comprises: a portable terminal identifying module to receivecard information from a non-contact IC card processing unit having amodule to communicate with said IC card without contact and to acquirethe card information including IC card identification information andoutstanding value information, thereby to identify the portable terminalbased on said IC card identification information; a memory module tostore conditions for a corresponding operation; a module to communicatewith said portable terminal; an information transmission determiningmodule to determine whether predetermined information for chargingagainst an outstanding stored fare value is to be transmitted to saidportable terminal identified by said portable terminal identifyingmodule in the case where contents of said card information satisfy saidconditions for the corresponding operation; and a module to transmitsaid information determined by said information transmission determiningmodule, and wherein said information transmission determining module iscapable of performing selected one of an operation of using, asconditions for determining the transmission of predeterminedinformation, selected one of a change item and a change amount of thechange item of the card information set by a user of at least saidportable terminal, and the operation of permitting the user to set thecontents of the information transmitted to said user, said portableterminal further comprising: an information receiving module to receivepredetermined information transmitted by said management apparatus; anda corresponding operation module to perform a predeterminedcorresponding operation in accordance with said predeterminedinformation received by said information receiving module.
 3. Theportable terminal according to claim 2, wherein said portable terminalreceives a text document which is prepared and sent by said managementapparatus via electronic mail.
 4. The portable terminal according toclaim 2, wherein said portable terminal receives, directly from saidmanagement apparatus, parameters for starting a predetermined programstored in the portable terminal, said parameters being generated by saidmanagement apparatus.